26 March 2008

slow?

Our new art teacher, like the staff member mentioned last time, is a Russian citizen who is married to an American citizen. Our art teacher hasn't been back in Russia long. While she's been here, she and her daughter have done some volunteer work at local orphanages. They identifed a little boy they wanted to adopt. He is quite ill and in need of a home. She had her court date yesterday and her adoption was granted! (She adopted as a Russian citizen.) During her wait, as she had some paperwork issues to sort out, she's been frustrated by how slow the process is.

She started pursing adoption just after Christmas. Three months ago.

17 comments:

Elle said...

didn't you just want to smack her. I do.

Tina in CT said...

No, I would not want to smack her but am happy that it has been such a quick adoption process since the little boy is ill and needs a home. Hopefully his illness is something that her proper healthcare insurance can cover and that there is a good European medical center to take him to like in Moscow.

I just hope that things speed ahead for your adoption so a little girl (or two) can be in a loving home with you as their mom.

Annie said...

Wow; I guess that is pretty crazy-making on a number of levels....

Lauri said...

ughhh... hoping its your turn really soon

Suzanne said...

yikes. A bit of a challenge to extend sympathy!!

Anonymous said...

"we suggest" you kick her in the knees

Maura said...

Kate, I'm sure it was difficult to hear her definition of "slow" given what you've gone through. But I'm also sure you were gracious and full of congrats for her anyway.

Your time WILL come, (oh, I hope it's soon) and you will hear the shouts of joy all around the world when it does.

Tammy said...

That would be the definition of self control.

Soon and very soon. Hopefully. :-)

Andrea said...

Herrrm . . .. how difficult might it be for you to obtain dual citizenship?!

(okay, kidding . . . mostly . . . but I imagine that must have been very hard for you to hear, even for such happy news that at least one little guy gets to go home that much sooner)

Jim said...

Oh mannnn. That, um, just stinks.

I suppose now would be a good time to draw from your reserve of good-humored, wry wonder at the incongruities of all things Russian, methinks.

Still faithfully praying for you.

junglemama said...

3 months? What is she complaining about? If only all adoptions were this fast.

Suz said...

UGH! I think I'll do the smacking that Elle suggested! Lemme at 'er!

Sorry, I'm not feeling as nice today.

Jenni said...

Sounds like someone needs a little perspective. Or perhaps a swift cuff to the back of the head? It would be very hard to lend a sympathetic ear to her.

Anonymous said...

Wow--three months! Doesn't your heart just bleed for her? That must have been hard to take, but I'm sure you listened graciously.

Another elephant sighting today, in Borders. While waiting for my latte, I was scanning the titles in the Business section, and saw a book called "Juggling Elephants: An Easier Way to Get Your Most Important Things Done--Now!" Don't think it's the right thing to help get YOUR most important things done, but still, elephants in unexpected places....

Tami said...

You have GOT to be kidding me?! UGH! I'm proud of you for beingf gracious enough not to smack her a good one. ;>)

Annie said...

For some reason, I have been thinking about this a lot.... (Well, maybe because the responses keep landing in my in-box.)

I have the feeling that Kate is the sort of person to be happier that the little boy got a home, than irritated at her own miserable, unnecessary wait.

But it has also occurred to me that three months isn't a very long time. I wonder if it isn't too short. Most of us would need to take a lot longer before buying a house - or even putting in a new flower bed, or deciding on a new school for our children....or any number of things that are not nearly as life-changing and important as adoption.

If someone got engaged and married in three months, we might think they were unwise and frivolous. Yet, parenthood is just such another life-time, life-changing commitment.

We have heard that the new Russian emphasis on in-country, as opposed to foreign adoption, has resulted in a lot of disruptions - which certainly seems far worse for children than remaining in a well-run, secure orphanage.

Perhaps the Russian process is far too swift. Particularly, as those adopting a child in their own country would have the opportunity to visit the child and develop a relationship.

How long is the process - usually? Here in the US, it took three months for us to get our foster-care license. Frankly, that did seem like a long time to me (whereas it was half the time it takes for most people; our case was expedited for a few reasons). For one the poor boy, who had done nothing at all wrong, was in a disgusting lock-up for adjudicated youth. It was so unjust and wrong for him to be there... I remember thinking at the time that it would have been better if somehow he could have been back in his Russian orphanage....

Anyway, those are a few of the random thoughts I've had on this topic....

Anonymous said...

Is it her husband that is now posting on frua chat trying to figure out how to get a visa to bring their newly adopted child home? His wife has dual citizenship. So maybe they will have delays on the back end.